Case for beverage bottles and the like



y 1966 R. L. BEESLEY ETAL 3,

CASE FOR BEVERAGE BOTTLES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 6. 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 5 i I5 Rober/a g jj.

BY Ruoo H Maf/h/ 6 fiTTORNEYS United States Patent 3 261,495 CASE FOR BEVERAGE BOTTLES AND THE LIKE Robert L. Beasley and Rudolph H. Matthias, Saginaw,

Mich., assignors to The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 335,883 9 Claims. (Cl. 22021) This invention generally relates to plastic cases and, more particularly, to plastic cases adapted to contain beverage bottles and the like, which bottles extend above the uppermost extent of the case.

Generally, beverage bottle cases are made of wood and thus are heavyweight and, accordingly, lower the payload per truck. Such cases are also hard to clean upon their return to the bottling plant and usually incorporate relatively poor staoking and unloading features. In wood cases, and even in present plastic cases, such as shown in US. Patent 3,092,284, there is often little protection given to the bottles and they will generally be free to contact one another. Also, the ability to easily lift a case of bottles by the technique of grabbing the tops of oppositely exposed bottles and wedging the bottle, common-ly called fingering, is not all that is to be desired in presently available cases.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel lightweight and inexpensive case for containing a plurality of beverage bottles and the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a plastic case for beverage bottles and the like which can be easily cleaned and drained upon return to a bottling plant.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel improve-d case for beverage bottles and the like which can still be used on present wood case handling type automation equipment in a plant loading and stacking such cases.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel case for beverage bottles or the like which is designed so as to be quite stable against shifting on a pallet or in a storage area as well as being easy to unstack one from the other, when loaded.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a case for beverage bottles and the like which will provide a generally non-slip characteristic when placed on conveyor belts.

Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved and novel case for beverage bottles and the like which is multi-purpose as far as its capability and handling of six, eight and twelve pack cartons.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved case for beverage bottles and the like which will stabilize the movement of the bottles contained therein when the case is being handled.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved case for beverage bottles and the like which gives a unique wedging action for preventing slippage of bottles when the cases are carried by handlers by the technique known as fingering.

Briefly then, the present invention relates to an improved and novel molded plastic case for beverage bottles or the like, which is not only lightweight but is also adapted to be handled by present equipment designed for wood cases. The case provides an outlet arrangement adapted for easy case cleaning and draining. It also comprehends means for stabilizing the bottles during transit and projecting wedges to provide ready movement of the cases by case handlers. Unique construction of oblong ridges from the bottom of the case provide for a more favorable stacking stability as well as numerous other advantages enumerated hereinbefore.

Yet additional objects and advantages of the present invention, and its numerous cognate benefits and features are even more apparent and manifest in and by the ensuing description and specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which, wheresoever possible, like characters of reference designate corresponding material and parts throughout the several views thereof, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of a case for beverage bottles and the like constructed according to the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom view thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary isometric view of the interior of one of the compartments shown in plan view in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of one compartment having a bottle in a fingered position;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view of a plurality of cases in a stacked relationship;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a bottle supporting part of another case stacked thereabove, the view of the case being taken substantially along reference line 8-8 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 9 is a view of a handler removing one case from the top of another filled case;

FIGURE 10 is an isometric view of a case constructed according to the present invention only modified to handle two cartons of beverage bottles;

FIGURE 11 is an isometric view of a case constructed according to the present invention only modified to handle four cartons of beverage bottles;

FIGURE 12 is an isometric view of a case constructed according to the present invent-ion only modified to handle three cartons of beverage bottles;

FIGURE 13 is a view illustrating how movable partitions in the case can be installed.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 1-5, there is shown a case 10 for beverage bottles and the like, this particular example being divided into twenty-four compartments 12 for handling that number of beverage bot tles. The case is preferably molded and can be formed of a light weight, strong plastic material such as high impact polystyrene, rigid polyethylene or of any other plastic material which has generally similar characteristics of rigidity, strength, impact resistance, weight, etc.

Case 10 generally includes opposite side walls 14, end walls 16 and a bottom wall 18. Of course, as can readily be seen, the side walls 14 and end walls 16 and bottom wall 18 all gently merge into one another to form the confines of case 10.

Projecting inwardly toward one another from end walls 16 are generally triangularly-shaped projections 20 which serve as spacers to define the limits of certain end ones of compartments 12. Projections 20 :also serve to give the case the overall length necessary to make it adaptable to automatic loading and handling equipment presently employed in bottling plants and which is designed for wooden cases which have substantially thicker walls. Inwardly projecting flanges 37 extending from side walls 14, although they also perform another function later described, define the inner width of the compartment area.

Fitted between projections 20 is a handle 22 recessed within the side walls 14 of the case. Handle 22 is formed about opening 24 to permit the usual finger grip. In the case of handle 22, its innermost extent, as defined by barrier wall 25, will similarly providethe outermost extent of adjacent certain end ones of compartments 12. Thus,

barrier walls 25 and projections 20 generally define the overall compartment length of case 10.

The walls of compartments 12 not otherwise formed by the end walls or side walls of the case itself, are formed by partition members 26, alternate locations of which and the method of their installation being described hereinafter. In the particular embodiment of FIGURES 1-6, three partitions 26, which extend in a direction across the length of the case, cross with five partitions 26, which extend a direction across the width of the case, to define the 24compartments. Preferably these partitions are of a plastic material similar to that used in forming the body of the case 10.

The bottom of each compartment 12 contains a plurality of drain holes 28 about the center thereof and larger drain outlets 30 about the periphery thereof not bounded by side and end walls of the case. The bottom of each compartment 12 also includes upwardly projecting spacers 32, in this particular instance shown in a cross-configuration, for spacing the bottoms of the bottles above the drain holes 28 to permit drainage of liquids from the bottom of the container in case such liquids enter the case while the bottles are being stored therein. Also in the bottoms of some of the compartments 12 can be included rubber grommets (not shown), the grommets extending below the bottom-most extent of bottom 18 as feet for the case but in a position not interfering with any of the ridges 40, to be later described.

As shown in most detail in FIGURE 5, each compartment 12 preferably includes an elongated projecting rib 36 extending inwardly into the compartment area from each of the partitions 26. Ribs 36, in cooperation with one another and with inwardly extending flanges 37 on side walls 14 (FIG. 1) and projections and barrier walls (FIG. 1) about outermost ones of compartments 12, are of such a size and are so spaced as to provide a stabilized snug engagement of bottles located in the compartments 12 with the result that during movement of the case the upper portions of the bottles are prevented from knocking together.

Located in each of the walls of the compartments 12 formed by partitions 26, is a cut-out or opening 38 and projecting wedge 39 which permit a slight tipping of the 'bottle so that its body portion is wedged in compartment 12 under a wedge 39, sometimes tilted slightly within opening 38, to eliminate slipping of the bottles when fingered by the case handler. This can best be seen in FIGURE 6. Openings 38 also provide ready access to the drain outlets about that inner periphery of each compartment 12.

In the present embodiment, four generally parallel oblong ridges 40 are found in the bottom 18 of case 10. These ridges 40 are generally concave and of an inner width substantially that of the tops of the bottles and of a barely sufficient length and aligned so as to fit over the tops of rows of bottles located in a case stacked therebelow (FIG. 7). Details of how this particular embodiment of oblong ridge 40 can be shaped are seen in FIGS. 4 and 8 wherein a bottle i located within the confines of one such ridge. The fit of bottle tops in the oblong ridges 40 of adjacent stacked cases, such as illustrated in FIG. 7, prevents side and front slip of the cases when in such a stacked position, and will provide for downward guide when a case is tilted up, as ShOWn in FIGURE 8, and is to be slipped off the case therebelow. Oblong ridges 40 also aid in providing a non-slip characteristic for cases when placed on conveyor belts.

FIGS. 1013 illustrate alternate positions and alternate modifications of the case where partitions 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50 can be arranged to contain, for example, two twelve-pack cartons, four six-pack cartons and three eight-pack cartons, respectively, in case 52 as is desired. It is noted that partitions, such as 42 and 44, include finger cut-outs 54 adjacent handle openings 24 to allow handling of the case without interference with the fingers.

Details of how one of these removable partitions can be engaged and held within the confines of a case 52 are illustrated in FIGURE 13. Here, for example, a side wall 14 of case 52 includes an elongated recessed notch 56 being narrower at its mouth than at its base. Partition 50 includes enlarged ends 58 matingly secured within notch 56 by its sides 60 being generally parallel and fitted with the inside surfaces of the notch. Similar junctions can be provided by the intersection of separating partitions 44, 46 and 26 (latter shown in FIG. 1) when so desired. However, if it is preferred that a particular partition arrangement be permanently connected to itself and/or to a case, partition separators can be molded, solvent welded, pegged, heat sealed or otherwise secured to one another and/or to the sides and bottoms of the case, when desired.

While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A compartmented case for beverage bottles and the like comprising a bottom wall surrounded by opposite side walls and opposite end walls, partitions extending between said side and end walls dividing the inner confines of said case into a plurality of compartments each of which is adapted to contain one bottle, said side and end walls and partitions comprising a rigid plastic material, at least two of said compartments including a rigid wedge intermediate the height of and extending laterally into its respective compartment from one of said partitions, each said wedge having a width at least one-third the width of a side of its respective compartment.

2. The case of claim 1 wherein the area of said partitions below each wedge is cut away to said bottom wall whereby a bottle is securely wedged when til-ted underneath each said wedge.

3. The case of claim 2 wherein said bottom wall includes drain holes under said partitions in communication with the cut-away areas.

4. The case of claim 3 wherein spacers extend upwardly from said bottom wall in each of said compartments and said bot-tom wall includes drain outlets about the center of each compartment.

5. The case of claim 4 wherein ribs extend inwardly from the sides of each of said compartments to stabilize movement of the bottles when being transported.

6. A plastic case for beverage bottles and the like comprising a bottom wall and opposite side walls and opposite end walls, said side walls and end walls being of a height less than said bottles, concave means formed integral with the underside of said bottom wall and defining a channel having an inner width substantially that of tops of bottles which are to be contained in said case and of a length barely sufiicient to cover a row of said bottle tops from end to end of said row, the opposite ends of said channel being of a configuration to confine the tops of the end bottles of each said row in their endwise direction, said concave means providing a stabilizing mechanism when loaded ones of these cases are stacked one above the other.

7. A case for beverage bottles and the like, said case being 'formed entirely of thermoplastic materials and comprising a bottom wall surrounded by opposite side walls and opposite end walls all molded together as a unit, the side walls and end walls being of a height less than that of said bottles, generally parallel spaced ridges in the form of continuous oblongs being formed on the underside of said bottom wall, each said oblong ridge being upwardly generally concave and of an inner width substantially that of tops of bottles which are to be contained in said case and of a length barely sufiicient to cover a row of said bottle tops from end to end of said row, the opposite ends of said ridge being of a configura-' tion to confine the tops to the end bottles of each said row in their endwise direction, said ridges providing a stabilizing mechanism when loaded ones of these cases are stacked above one another.

8. A case for beverage bottles and the like, said case being formed entirely of thermoplastic materials and comprising a bottom wall surrounded by opposite side walls and opposite end walls all molded together as a unit, the side walls and end walls being of a height less than that of said bottles, partitions dividing the inner confines of said case into a plurality of compartments, said bottom wall including drain outlets about the center of each said compartment and under each partition forming a compartment, spacers extending upwardly from said bottom wall in each of said compartments, at least some of said partitions including integrally therewith a generally horizontally disposed projecting substantially rigid wedge intermediate their height, a projecting substantially rigid rib extending upwardly from said Wedge such that said rib and wedge together form a generally inverted T-sh-aped configuration, generally parallel spaced ridges in the form of continuous oblongs being formed on the underside of said bottom wall, each said oblong ridge being upwardly generally concave and of an inner width substantially that of tops of bottles which are to be contained in said case and of a length barely sufiicient to cover a row of said bottle tops, spacing projections extending inwardly from said end walls, recessed handles formed in said end walls, a barrier wall extending generally parallel with said end wall from the innermost extent of each of said handles, flanges projecting inwardly from said side walls, said spacing projections and barrier walls and flanges defining the length and width of the compartment area of said case.

9. A case for beverage bottles and the like, said case being formed entirely of thermoplastic materials and comprising a bottom wall surrounded by opposite side Walls and opposite end walls all molded together as a unit, partitions dividing the inner confines of said case into a plurality of compartments, at least some of said partitions each including a generally horizontally disposed projecting substantially rigid wedge intermediate its height, a vertically projecting rigid rib extending upwa-rdly from each said wedge such that said rib and wedge together form a generally inverted T-shaped configuration, whereby bottles will be securely wedged when tilted underneath and against said wedges.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Coles 220-21 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. GEORGE E. LOWRENCE, Examiner. 

1. A COMPARTMENTED CASE FOR BEVERAGE BOTTLES AND THE LIKE COMPRISING A BOTTOM WALL SURROUNDED BY OPPOSITE SIDE WALLS AND OPPOSITE END WALLS, PARTITIONS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SIDE AND END WALLS DIVIDING THE INNER CONFINES OF SAID CASE INTO A PLURALITY OF COMPARTMENTS EACH OF WHICH IS ADAPTED TO CONTAIN ONE BOTTLE; SAID SIDE AND END WALLS AND PARTITIONS COMPRISING A RIGID PLASTIC MATERIAL, AT LEAST TWO OF SAID COMPARTMENTS INCLUDING A RIGID WEDGE INTERMEDIATE THE HEIGHT OF AND EXTENDING LATERALLY INTO ITS RESPECTIVE COMPARTMENT FROM ONE OF SAID PARTITIONS, EACH SAID WEDGE HAVING A WIDTH AT LEAST ONE-THIRDTHE WIDTH OF A SIDE OF ITS RESPECTIVE COMPARTMENT. 